Destructor



May 29, v1945. c. A. POTTER DES TRUCTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13 1945 May 29, 1945.

Filed- Jan. '13, 1943 C. -A. POTTER DESTRUCTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 29, 1945 I DESTRUOTOR .GharlesAustin Potter, Mayfair, London,.England- I Application January 13, 1943,. Seriall'No. 472,267

In Great. Britain January 28,1942" Claims. (01. 110-9) This invention relates to destructors and, has

for its main object to provide'a hygienic destruc-' tor for absorbent material such as soiled sanitary towelsor. catamenial pads, which are usually made chiefly of; cellulose waddingor the like.

At the present time, women's branches of the national services andmunition plants where large numbers of women are. present, have to contend with difiicultiesin the. disposal of soiled-sanitary towels; usually the individual follows herown inclination in so doing, for. example. by leaving the towel anywhere out of sight, which may be very inconvenient to other persons, or by dropping it in the toilet bowl, whichmay leadto serious obstruction of the drainage system. V

'Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a destructor of the above character which is adapted for rapidly repeated operation. so-that large numbers of sanitary .towels. can be, destroyed singly at the convenience-of the individuals.

.A furtherv object is to provide a destructor of thischaracter which is brought into operation by the simple act of inserting theabsorbent, material in a container. provided with a..closure. device, the movement of. which. for the introduction oflthe material actuates an electrical switch, gas-cock or; the like to produce. the necessary heat for destroying the material.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sanitary destructor with automatic meansfor controlling the heatingmeans so' as to put it. out of operation after a predetermined period sufiicient for the destruction of. the mate.- rial, leaving the destructor ready for operation at the nextmovement ofthe closure. device.

Other. objects. and. advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear from the following de'.-' scription of preferred embodiments, given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an.elevation.of,a. gas-fired destructor with hinged lid, the lifting.. of,which.brings the gas-burner. intov operation under control of a timing device.

Fig, 2 is a sectional elevationof the destructor. Fig. 3 isa rear elevation. V V I Fig. MS a part-sectional viewv of the. tuning device, seen in.Fig. 1. I f

Fig. 5. is asectional-elevationof an electrically heateddestructor witha trap-door, the opening movement of, which. brings the heating means into operation under control of a timing device. Fig. 5a is. a. detailedshowing on an enlarged Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrams on a smaller scale,

showing subsequent phases. of. the cycle of operations of this destructor.

As illustrated inFigs. l to 3,.the. destructor comprises an incinerating chamber Aformed by a refractory fire-clay lining minside a frustoconicalimetal shell Ill, with a fire-clay hearth l2 supported'upon a falsebottom I3' inside the shell II, and a fire-clay cover [4 secured toia domed lid I5 by meansof'screws. IS. The lid'l5 is mountedupon ahinge pin I1. engaging. pairsv of lugs 18 and. IS'attached asby riveting. or welding to the shell II. and to the lid l5.-respe,ctively, one of the lugs I 9? attached to the lidhavinga rearward extension arm 20; a transparent plug ZlIwith, prismaticouter surface 22. is. fitted in ahole 23 in the: middle of the refractory'coverv l4, so .enabling the conditions inside the incinerating chamber A.to. be observed from the exterior. A grip 2'4 is secured as by weldingto the front part of the lid 1 5 so that thelatter can be conveniently lifted by hand towards the. position indicated by chain lines at IB in Fig. 1, thereby depressingthe arm 20' for a purpose hereinaftefexplained- An beted upper edge of the lining IU' so as to make asbestos packing ring'25is fitted" around the. raban air-tight joint with the cover l4 when the lid is returned'toithe closed position.

a radial branch 30'; the latter. extends along the scale of the. control apparatus shown, in connection. with the. device. illustrated in 5.

channel Hand is connected to a pipe 3lthrough which gas is supplied 'to. the burner, either from a. fixed point or from a detachable plug connec-. tion. The false bottom l3 has its upper edge inturned. at 32 in order to support the burner in position, and the refractory hearth I2, whichis perforated as at 34' for passage. ofl'air, is provided with a. number of inclined pegs, 33 to-support it on the lower part of thefalse bottom. Air is admitted' to. the ash-pit Cflthrough radial intake pipes 35 welded in. place between theshell] I and false bottom I 3, which are themselves secured as by welding to a base. 36, and the ashes fallingfrom the hearth t2 are collected in a removablepan 31 inserted through openings 38 and 39 in the parts ll and I3. respectively.v A flue pipedll is connected to the incinerator chamber A, towards the top of the latter,.being secured for example by means of a flanged socket 41 to the exterior of the, shell H; as shown in Fig. 1 the flue, pipe is fitted with av bend'orangle, 42 which can be continued to a. convenient chimney or other? point or residue from the destructor.

. A pilot or bye-pass burner 43, supplied 1 1- through a small pipe 44, is arranged beenath the 1 5 branch 39 of the gas-ring 28 and just above the i 1 top edge of the hearth i2, this ilot burner being 1 I constantly kept alight in order to ignite gas issuing from' the mainburner B when the destructor is brought into operation. Both burners 1' l are fed from the same main or supply pipe45, i but the main burner B is controlled by a gas-cock 46 operated by a lever 41, the burner pipe 3| bee 3 ing connected tothe outlet of the cook 46 through 'a bend 48; the lever 41 is operated to open the cook 46 by the depression of the arm 29 when the 1 lid I5 is lifted, a pin 49 atthe rear end of the f arm 29 being engaged by a dependent linkjil lid I5 is attached to the top of the shell II by means of screws I9, and a transparent plug 92 with prismatic outer surface is fitted in a hole 83 in the middle ofthe cover I4; the shell H rests upon a base 85 to which it is secured, as by welding. At the front of the incinerator chamber, there is mounted upon a hinge pin'Tl and within an opening 18 in the refractory lining 19,

a trap door I9 having obtuse sector-shaped side in Fig. 5 to the open position shown in chain lines, in order that the absorbent material to be I destroyed may be placed upon the inner side of the door whilethe trap is open.

having its lower end slotted at 5I'to'engage"a" 59% and 47, in Fig. 1. While the lidis open and after the burner B has been ignitedby the pilot 3 burner 43, the absorbent material to be destroyed f can be cast into the incinerator chamber A, the; I lid being then reclosed; during the closing move 1 1 ment, the arm 29 and link 59 return to their normal position, but the gas-cock lever 4I remains 1 approximately in the full-on position, which it 1 retains for a sufiicient period (for example, l orfthe absorbent material. At the expiration of this period, the gas-cock is'automatically closed by; the operation of a timing device D; in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, this device comprises a dash-pot-cylinder 53 containing a pis- -ton 54 with a tubular piston rod 55 which engages a tall or extension 55 of the lever 41, a compresj .sion spring 51 acting to force down the rod 55 and 1 thereby return the gas-cock to closed position as 2 minutes) to complete the destruction by fire of the piston 54 completes its downward stroke. The piston is fitted with a leather washer or bucket 58 which yields to allow air from the closed upper end of the cylinder to pass freely to below the piston during upward movement of'the latter as thegas-cock is opened by the lifting of the de. structor lid I5; on the "return stroke, however,= the bucket 58 seals the air in the lower end of the cylinder 53 beneath the piston 5 subject to regulated escape through the tubular 'pistonrod 55 to an outlet 59, which is adjustable by means of a needle valve or screw 69, whereby the time of descent may be'regulated to give any-required j period of operation of the burner B at each charging of the incinerator. The bottom end of "the tubularpiston rod is plugged by a forked memspring 5], which'is centered at its upper end by a guide pin 63 fixed to the top of the cylinder.

A bridge piece 64, apertured at 55 to guide the,

movement of the piston rod 55, is soldered to a cap 96-, which is screwed in place upon the lower 95 the cylinder is secured by screws 68 to "a; supl porting bracket 69 welded to the shell I I pf. the j end of the cylinder; a webB'I upon one'side of destructor.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate another'construction of destructor comprising anincineratingchamber A formed by a refractory brick lining I9 in- I Sidea; cylindrical metal shell II, with a tiltin hearth 12 fittedwith one or more electrical heating elements'B a'false bottom'13 and'a ref'rac- 1 tory cjoverM securedto a, fiat metal lid 15')" The 79 1 A crank arm 86 secured to an extremity of the pin 11 to one side of the destructor is connected V by a link 81 to a second crank arm 88 secured to a hollow spindle '89 upon which the tilting 7 hearth12 is mounted; the proportions of the parts are preferably such that in the normal closed position of the trap door, the crank arm 86' and connecting link 81 lie in a straight line so as to lock the hearth ina horizontal position,

but in the open position of the trap doorthe hearth is tilted to a steep angle of about '70 degrees-in order to discharge any matter resting thereon into a pit C at the back of the false botpad 94 secured to the sloping wall 95 of the pit C r The frontwall of the shell II is provided-with louvres 96 for the admission of air beneath the false bottom 13, the air then passing into thepit C through a scoop 91 formed in the sloping wall 95 and sweeping across the bottom of the pit so as to carry off any remains'of the dischargefrom the tilted hearth into anoutlet 98 from which they are evacuated through a pipe 99 and achimney E by'a fan F, as indicated in Fig. 6;

The heating element or elements' B and the'- motor M driving the fan are preferably fed with current simultaneously with the tilting of-the hearth so as to prepare the hearth for themcineration of the material to. be introduced I throughthe trap door and at the same time to draw out anyremains from a previous operation, such remains being discharged by the tilting-of the'hearth. As represented diagrammatically in Fig. 5;current is supplied through amain switch S along the line I99 to an auxiliary switch T: -mounted on the side of the destructor, from which a line l9l extends to one terminalof the heating element or elements B with a return lead I92 back to the main switch; a branch I93 of the line IUI extendsto the motor'M, with'a're- 1 turn lead I94 back to the main switch. The aux iliary switch comprises a rocking lever I95 adapted to bridge -two fixed contacts I99 and I91. connected to the lines'I99 and MI respectively; a spring. I98 engaging the rocking lever tends to close the auxiliary switch, but in the normal poproduced by a pin I I I" projecting from the crank arm 88,-'so that" when the trapdoor isopened,

Normally the front and back 'of the the movement of the linked crank arms lifts the. forked member I09 and piston rod I|-,"thereby closing the auxiliary switch T, lifting theipiston red 1 I 0 and setting the timing device D for controlledireturn of the piston.rod;-'at the end of the downwardmovement, the forked member I09 i e-engages with the rocking lever 105 to break the heating and motor circuits, and also with the pin- H I upon'the crank arm 88", which hasale ready returned to normal position asthe trap doorwas closed.

The closingof th'etrap door, after the absorbent material P has been placed thereon as indicated in Fig. 6, will cause the material to drop upon the hearth as indicated in Fig. 7, all parts beingv then again in normal position, but with theheating element or elements B raised to a suitable temperature and the fan F drawing air through the louvres 96 and scoop 91 into the pit C so as to carry oil any odours from the incineration. At the end of the period determined by the timing device D the current will be switched off from the heating and motor circuits, the destructor being then ready for anotheroperation when required. In the event of the trap door being opened for introduction of further material before the expiration of the set period, the partly consumed material upon the hearth willbe discharged into the pit C where its combustion will be completed in the current of air induced by the fan F; at the same time, the device D will be reset for a further period sufficient for the destruction of the second batch of material, the remains of which will be discharged into the pit at the start of the next cycle.

The construction of the tilting hearth is preferably such as to minimize retention of the charred remains upon itssurface when tilted; it may comprise a circular plate H2 with a thickened rim H3, the underside of which is formed at diametrically opposite points with lugs H4 to engage the hollow spindle 89 and 2, corresponding spindle or pivot (not shown) at the other side of the hearth. The leads IOI and I02 extend through the hollow spindle 89 to the heating element or elements which are mounted within a recess H5 on the upper face of the plate I I2 and I are covered by mica or like refractory material as at H6, giving a smooth surface to which the charred remains will not adhere.

By way of example, the heating element or elements B may be of 2 kilowatts rating, which has been found adequate to ensure destruction of the material Within a period of two minutes; the destructor is thus adapted for rapid and repeated operation, without undue consumption of electrical power. In order to expedite the operation, the heating element or elements may be arranged to concentrate heat towards the middle of the hearth so that the actual burning of the material shall start as quickly as possible.

Instead of the electrical heating element or elements described, there may be employed a gasburner similar to that shown in Fig. 2, covered by a plain or apertured plate of non-oxidizing metal, the gas supply to the burner being passed through the hollow spindle 89 and controlled by a gascock with timing device as hereinbefore described.

What I claim is: i

1. A destructor of the kind set forth, comprising an incinerating chamber, a hearth Within said chamber, a closure device normally sealing said chamber but displaceable manually for introduction of material upon said hearth, heating means adjacent. to sa-idihearth, a control..mem-; her. forsaid heatlngimeans, mechanical connec-.

tions .b'etween'xsaid closure device and control member adapted to bring said heating means into. operation by displacement of said closure deviceameansfor admitting air: beneath said hearth, an outlet pipeifor tthe. discharge of, said air to-. gether with gases andremain-s: of, material burnt uponsaidhearth, and a timing device associated with said control member, said timin device being connected to said control member forsetting saidtiming Idevice, in operation simultaneously with said heating means, and said timing device being adapted by the connection with said control member to cut off said heating means after the lapse of a predetermined period of time.

2. A destructor of the kind set forth, comprising an incinerating chamber, a hearth within I said chamber, a closure device normally sealing said chamber but displaceable for introduction of material upon said hearth, heating means adjacent to said hearth, means for admitting air beneath said hearth, pneumatic means connected to said chamber for extracting the remains of material burnt upon said hearth, means for controlling said heating and extracting means, and

means connecting said closure device to said conintroduction of material into said trap, the replacement of said closure device dropping the in-- troduced material from said trap upon said hearth, means for tilting said hearth to an inclined position by the displacement of said closure device in said one direction, and means connected to the bottom of said chamber for extracting theremains of incinerated material discharged by the tilting of said hearth to inclined position.

4. A destructor of the kind set forth, comprising an incinerating chamber, a tiltable hearth within said chamber, heating means adjacent to said hearth, a closure device near the top of said chamber, said closure device including a trap and'being displaceable in one direction for introduction of material into said trap, the replacement of said closure device dropping the introduced material from said trap upon said hearth, means for tilting said hearth to an inclined position and bringing said heating means into operation by th displacement ofv said closure device in said one direction, means connected to the bottom of said chamber for extracting the remains of incinerated material discharged by the tilting of said hearth to inclined position, and a timing device for putting said heating and extracting means out of operation at the expiration of a, given period from the displacement of said closure device in said one direchearth, heating means adjacent to said hearth,

a closure device near the top of said chamber,

said closure device consisting of a hingedly mounted trap door displaceable outwardly from said chamber for introduction of material into said chamber, a flap'within said chamber, said 3 flap being hingedly mounted together with said 1 trap door and adapted to receive the material j introduced in the outwardly displaced position 1 of said trap door, a crank secured to said hearth,

a second crank secured to said closure device, a

1 link connecting said cranks, said link having a dead-center relation to said second crank and f 1 an angular relation tosaid first-mentioned crank ashpit, said air completing the combustion, of

material ignited by said heating means upon said hearth and'extracting the remains of incinerated 5 inthe closed position of said closure device and 1 the horizontal position of said hearth, the re- 3 material-discharged intosaid ashpit by the tiltinggof said hearth to inclinedposition. 7

' CHARLES AUSTIN POTTER. 

